Whoa. Where did June go?
These days have been go go go, so when my friends at Williams-Sonoma asked if I would be interested in checking out their new Recipe of the Day App, my eye landed on the simplest no-fuss recipe I could find, naturally. Luckily, it just so happened to be exactly what I needed. Something healthy, fast, and satisfying. Winner winner weeknight chicken dinner!
Normally, chicken breast is not something I’d say I crave. It’s just a little ho hum for me on the regular. But, pair it with this mint pesto situation and my tune could not have changed faster. Fresh mint, toasted almonds, a little shallot, a big squeeze of lemon juice, and good olive oil all get tossed into the food processor and the result is just magic. Seriously, mint pesto, where have you been all my life?
I doubled the recipe from the original one on the app because trust, you will want extra of this stuff in your fridge. Besides being a chicken breast accouterment game changer, it is also fantastic dolloped over sweet potatoes, slathered on cucumber slices, and yes, even eaten straight off the spoon. Basically I’ve just been looking for different vehicles to get more of this stuff into my mouth. Yep...pretty much.
Also, revelation number 2: sautéed shredded carrots! Why have I never thought of doing this? If you’re doing a Paleo thing, or Whole30 thing, or just trying to get more vegetables into your diet, take note! Saute shredded carrots in olive oil, with some shallots, a good amount of lemon, a pinch of chili flakes, and some salt, and you end up with a kind of carrot hash that is just delicious!
Best of all, everything came together in a flash. This is definitely one weeknight meal I’ll be keeping in my back pocket. Give it a try!

This easy weeknight meal is healthy, quick, and satisfying. And hello, mint pesto! Where have you been all my life?

Ingredients

FOR THE MINT PESTO:

1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

1 small shallot

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (1 small lemon), or to taste

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

FOR THE CHICKEN:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

4 chicken breast cutlets

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

FOR THE CARROTS:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 shallots, minced

pinch of red pepper flakes

2 cups shredded carrots

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 small lemon), or to taste

julienned fresh mint for garnish

Instructions

To make the pesto, in a food processor, combine the mint, almonds, and shallot and process until finely ground. With the machine running, gradually add the oil. Mix in the lemon juice, and then season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides, add to the pan, and saute until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side. If it is a thick piece of chicken, partially over the pan with a lid as it cooks to help cook the chicken through to the center. Transfer the chicken to a warmed plate to rest before cutting.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan, and then add the shallot and pepper flakes. Saute until the shallot begins to soften, about 1 minute. Add the carrots and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Saute until the carrots are tender-crisp, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the lemon juice and any juices from the plate holding the chicken. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Cut the chicken into strips, cutting on a slight bias. Plate the carrots and fan the chicken pieces on top. If the pesto is a little thick, you can thin it with a little hot water. Spoon the pesto over the chicken. Sprinkle with julienned mint, and serve.

Hello! All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you!